College football has never been crazier. With the meteoric rise of Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) contracts and the transfer portal, college football now resembles the National Football League (NFL) more than it does classic college football.
Big-name schools like Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State can now lure and sign top recruits with massive deals never seen before in collegiate sports, creating a power dynamic that keeps larger, more prestigious programs in the running for the national championship year after year. This consolidation of talent into the handful of “power four conferences” seemingly leaves little value in keeping up with the competition and updating programs for smaller programs. Susane Peal, creator of the transfer portal, which allows athletes to transfer colleges year to year, said it herself, “Amateurism in college sports is dead with NIL,”
However, with the expansion of the college football playoff system, the number of bowl games has grown to over 40 matches, providing schools that may not be at the top of the food chain with an actual opportunity to win something meaningful within their division. For many athletes in their senior season, the expansion of bowl season offers more opportunities to shine one last time on the turf before pursuing their next endeavors.
For example, the Big Sky Conference just concluded one of the most electric finishes in FCS (football championship subdivision) history with Montana State beating Illinois State 34-32 in overtime for the national title. The growing popularity of games played by schools other than powerhouse colleges also attracts more media coverage and TV attention to a larger audience, bringing in more views, money, resources, and possible commits to schools they see as having the potential to win real games.
While many may argue that the number of bowl games has been oversaturated and waters down what used to be a special event for the most deserving schools, in reality, the benefits generated by an expanded number of games far outweigh the possible downsides. Not only do more bowl games keep trophies in the hands of elite schools like Louisiana State University and Clemson, but they also generate significant benefits for schools that play in them and for the cities that host them. The increased foot traffic to towns like Tucson, which held this year’s Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, benefits local businesses like restaurants and hotels as thousands of fans flock to the small city, according to KVOA News from Tucson.
